The RGMMC Paddock Magazine No. 4

No. 004

MAY 2016

O R E U E ON 0 S 3 X RIE E S

CASTELLETTO 2016 Pros Interviews

// Nick de Bruijn // Piers Sexton

Driver Interviews // Ethan Tan // Louie Westover

THE STORY OF IAME

RGMMC & IAME // Introducing the Organizers

THE PADDOCK MAGAZINE IS THE WAY TO STAY CONNECTED TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN RGMMC’S RACE PADDOCKS. ANY TEAM OR DRIVER WITH NEWS IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO SEND IT TO US TO PUBLISH. Every RGMMC organised event will have another issue, sharing information and news about drivers as well as teams and much more.

Known for being different, RGMMC is moving away from the traditional race booklet, creating a magazine that supplies more information about the sport and news about the teams as well as drivers. We will be creating an informative, entertaining magazine over the next months, giving our readers, an insight into the karting industry and paddock gossip. Together with our new IPTV media partner Telemundi, we will be also supplying online video content such as interviews and news stories about the actual event. Digital versions of the IAME event issues are available for download at: WWW.X30EURO.COM

If your team or driver has any news to share, please send it to us at info@rgmmc.com, so we consider to publish it in the following issue.

For placing adverts in our magazine contact us via e-mail at info@rgmmc.com.

S T N

E T N

CO ABOUT US

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RGMMC & IAME

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2016 X30 EURO SERIES

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INTERVIEW WITH NICK DE BRUIJN

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RGMMC PADDOCK POSTER

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INTERVIEW WITH PIERS SEXTON

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DRIVER INTERVIEWS

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THE STORY OF IAME

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INFORMATION 22

 rgmmc.com  info@rgmmc.com

 facebook.com/rgmmcAG

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twitter.com/rgmmc

 telemundi.com

Design and visual concept by Weinblum + Stahl www.weinblum-stahl.com

INTRODUCING THE ORGANIZERS The RGMMC Group is a well established motorsport management company, with its interests in event organization and promotion, consultancy, manufacturing of chemicals as well as technology innovation.

Established over 20 years ago, we have created a strong competent reputation in the motorsport world. Being involved in Karting, Rally Cross, Touring Car, GT Series, Formula racing and Motocross, is what differentiates the RGMMC Group to its competitors.

At the RGMMC Group we have a simple driving philosophy which was embedded in the company from the first day. Our philosophy Attention to Detail and Innovation still today remains to be the heart of the company. We function in a high speed industry – keeping up with the times is an absolute must in order to push the market further. We look forward to our 2016 series, with plenty of new innovations being released on the market place as well as our newly formed company branding and ideals.

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ROLAND GEIDEL

JAMES GEIDEL

With a wealth of experience spanning some 40 years in sales, marketing and sponsorship, Roland is able to combine his passion for motorsport with a pragmatic business approach, which led to the creation of RGMMC as one of the most respected event management companies to exist in the world of karting.

From driver to Formula and GT racing engineer, James has gone on to become a race team manager and owner, developing a deep practical experience and understanding of the sport. Now he is concentrating his effort on the continuous development of RGMMC, where his skills in motorsport business and management are being fully implemented.

RGMMC & THE RGMMC GROUP HAS ADDED TWO MORE RACES TO IT’S INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR THIS SEASON BY CREATING A NEW CHAMPIONSHIP WHICH WILL RUN UNDER THE NAME X30 EURO SERIES. “RGMMC is very pleased to have been selected by IAME to be the organizers of the 2016 X30 Euro Series. Our goal is to provide the X30 drivers the opportunity to take part in a high level international race series. Together with IAME, we believe we can fill some gaps in the market and help stabilize and grow the sport further. IAME has proven over the years its dedication and passion of the sport which is shared with the ideals and thoughts of RGMMC. We look forward to welcome all the drivers taking place in 2016 and plan to make it an unforgettable season for all drivers, parents and teams.

See you all at the first ever round of the X30 Euro Series!”

“We at IAME are very proud to welcome the X30 Euro Series by RGMMC in 2016 and we look forward to the first event. After one meeting with the RGMMC management, it was immediately clear that we have the same feelings about kart racing and that our goals coincide.

After only very few words, we both understood that a cooperation was no longer avoidable; in less than a week the project for the new X30 Euro Series was drawn up, submitted, agreed and approved.

With RGMMC unquestionable professionalism, X30 drivers and teams will surely benefit from a high standard organization and an experienced structure, combined with the best equipment and karting tradition on the market. There are no doubts the result will be a benchmark series to follow and join in 2016 and in the years to come.“

For viewing information please visit: www.x30euro.com

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2016 X30 EURO SERIES – JUST GETTING STARTED X30 Junior, X30 Senior, X30 Super and X30 Super Shifter The newly formed series by the RGMMC Group in collaboration with IAME has its kick-off event this weekend in Castelletto / Italy, the 19 – 22 of May, dates to remember. The four-day event will consist of Thursday free practice, Friday free practice and timed qualifying, Saturday qualifying heats and Sunday pre-finals and finals.

The CIK-FIA approved series will consist of two races, both counting towards the championships overall ranking. Round 1 in Castelletto / Italy and round 2 in Zuera / Spain.

Throughout the entire weekend the event will be live streamed

by Telemundi Media, providing all those at home high quality coverage of the races, interviews and in depth news about the event. Viewers can watch via www.telemundi.com.

As all RGMMC events, technology is highly present to provide the highest level of quality to the drivers and all involved. Including a race control system with over 20 HD cameras will be built around the circuit to ensure driver fairness, intranet live timing systems (watch live timing on your smart phone or laptop by connected to a local system created by RGMMC), LED light flag marshal posts, timing & live TV screens, WIFI area in the RGMMC tent for parents and much much more…

Plus, great prizes including the first three overall classified drivers in each class of the championship get free entry to the IAME International Final 2016.

We are happy to welcome you all to the first ever round of the X30 Euro Series.

Start

IAME S.p.A. - Via Lisbona, 15 24040 Zingonia (BG) - Italy - Tel. +39 035 883022 - Web: iame.it - E-mail: info@iame.it

175cc – The Digits Of Extreme Racing 64mm Bore – Super Torque 43 Horse Power – A Beast Under Your Command 15.000 RPM – Performance & Reliability Carburettor – Tillotson HB - 10A Ø34mm Electric Start – Why Push?

IAME INTERNATIONAL FINAL X30 CHALLENGE EUROPA X30 EURO SERIES

X30WORLD.COM

INTERVIEW NICK DE BRUIJN

ew in the world of karting have not heard of the De Bruijn family. Their company PDB is one of the most successful teams in the world of karting and worldwide distributor of Gilard karts.

We have the pleasure to interview Nick de Bruijn, who many have seen in the paddock leading the PDB team together with his father Peter de Bruijn.

Obviously you have been in motorsport your entire life.

When was the moment you decided you wanted a career in motorsport?

I have always wanted to have a career in motorsport. But through the years it changed from wanting to be a driver to becoming a teamowner. When I started karting, I don’t think I could even decide what I wanted to become when I started racing because I was too young at the time to realize. During the beginning of my career as any other kid, I just wanted to become a F1 driver but that didn’t happen. So after that I started working for my dad in his team and I started doing more and more. I was also enjoying it more and more and understanding that this will be my future.

You have raced karts, single seats and GTs. Tell us about your experiences in the different classes and how you have to change or adapt your skills for the different types of racing.

Every class needs a different skill. Now I race LMP2 in ELMS and its different than anything. You have to not only drive fast but also smart with all the traffic from the slower categories.

I believe this endurance racing is really the future. The key to be successful is to be able to adapt quickly and learn. The best way is to listen to the right people that want to help you and then convert that in your own feeling on the track.

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PDB has been involved in every area of karting for over 20 years. What is PDB’s aims and goals for the next 5 years?

Well, to win races! Our focus now remains the same with KZ, X30 and Rotax. The mini category is growing fast so this maybe an addition that we will focus more in for the future on international level. It was great that the FIA finally opened up the boarders again for international racing under the age of 13.

How do you think drivers today compare to the drivers you have raced with and trained over the years?

I think drivers are different today. When I started racing all you would do is laps and work hard. All the drivers could work as mechanics and now that doesn’t happen anymore.

Back then we didn’t have data or videos. This does make a difference now with drivers getting up to speed quicker.

Also in my time, there was more respect between drivers.

Without the rearbumper you just could push eachother out without consequences and you were being well prepared in this way for formula racing. The racing in the top hasn’t changed for me though as the fast guys always will be able to come through without scratches.

Motorsport all the way up to Formula 1 has difficulties today because of many reasons. What do you think the biggest problems are in karting and what could the karting industry do to improve the sport?

The main thing that should be improved is no car racing under the age of 16. This will keep drivers in karting longer until they are ready for car racing. You look at drivers like Nyck de Vries and Max Verstappen who both did two years of senior karting before moving up. In my eyes this is the way to do it and should be mandatory by law. Doesn’t really make sense to be allowed to drive a 200 km/h race car and not be allowed to drive a scooter on the streets.

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A D VA N C E M E N T

IN

MOTORSPORT

part from factory teams in the paddock, there are more private teams that make up the numbers. Piers Sexton, a wellknown private kart team manager, who has been raised on race tracks and worked for multiple factory teams and private drivers, gives us 10 minutes of his time.

Well, obviously I can’t give away all my trade secrets!!!

Honestly over the years I have seen every type of driver possible, and the way in which you train them has to be different. Some drivers respond to the harsh approach and some to the soft approach. Obviously the first thing with new drivers is to send them out and have a look at their natural driving style and then adapt and teach it towards what works rather than what they feel is correct.

I look at the hand/feet coordination, the ability to be consistent and put the kart on the same bit of tarmac all the time, and all of this whilst understanding if the chassis is working correctly or suits their style.

For me there are many different things that make up a good driver. Firstly, they must have self-belief, but not too much – which is a fine line. They must be willing to listen and understand that no one ever can know everything!!

They must be focussed. Every time the kids sit in the seat of a kart or car, I explain to them, that it is their office, and that their job is to apply themselves 100%. The thing with racing is it’s not enough just to be fast, you must be clever in the race and plan your moves way before you make them. That is the difference between the drivers!!

INTERVIEW WITH PIERS SEXTON

At what age did you get into motorsport and how did it all begin?

Racing started at a very young age for me. My father and older brother have always been into racing. Before I was born my father manufactured a remote control car chassis that won the world championships and then later both my brother and I were British champions in BMX racing back in the eighties. My father then started working as a welder at an engineering company called Barlotti and the owner decided to manufacture his own karts. My brother is older than me so therefore when the BMX scene started to decline my dad decided karting was the way forward. My brother started racing cadet karts at nine years old, then I started on the tools at about ten. As a family we didn’t have enough money for both of us to race at the same time so I just concentrated on the mechanical side.

Later my brother got a sponsored drive in cars and I then started racing karts. I had some success but decided it was better to earn the money rather than spend it!

You are well known for driver training. How do you begin the process with a new driver and what in your opinion makes a great driver?

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You have been involved in karting for many years. What is your aims and goals for the next 5 years?

I have won many races all over the world with different drivers and a satisfying thing for me has been to often beat factory teams and drivers as a private team. For 2016, I have just re-established a link with a team that I started with Dan Hazlewood 13 years ago. We called the team Fusion

because it was two people fused together. But we went our separate ways after three years as I wanted to do more European racing and Dan wanted to become the best team possible in British Cadet karting which he has achieved. For this year between us we decided to join forces again to form the Fusion junior team, mainly racing with the X30 engines which we look after in house, and so far it’s proved very good for us so obviously we have ambitions on winning European and World titles.

I have also just started up the ‘PSR International Racing Academy’ which I’m really excited about. It’s designed as a training academy for motorsport specifics. The idea is that parents send their kids from all over the world to the UK to study the UK curriculum but at the same time be taught all about motorsport and how to succeed. If the child is a budding driver, we can take them to races all over the UK and the world with the Fusion team. We teach them from the ground level up and take them right through into cars, essentially managing their careers whilst at the same time giving them a proper academic education. But it is not just designed for drivers, we also currently hold summer schools for mechanics so they can learn to be karting mechanics, run tracks or even be race engineers. I have a good background in the mechanical side of things. I own an engineering company so that’s perfect for hands on experience whilst we have many contacts in the motorsport industry, so we can give the pupil experience in designing and race engineering cars too. Essentially I want to have my own education centre for people interested in forging a career in motorsport whatever path that may be. The plan is to do everything under one roof: schooling, fitness, nutrition, simulator work, data analysis, management and practical. At the moment the academy has a link with a very well respected private school so the pupils are sent there to board but are then collected to go off to races to learn the motorsport side at

the weekends. It’s something I am rapidly building and have a lot of people interested in.

Motorsport all the way up to Formula 1 have difficulties today because of many reasons. What do you think the biggest problems are in karting and what could the karting industry do to improve the sport?

I believe we have perhaps just been through a massively difficult time in karting and we are coming out the other side. No one could have foreseen it, but with the KF class allowing a lot of development all costing a lot of money coupled with an economic crisis, it has been very painful.

Whether it is good or bad, karting is now an extremely professional sport but with that comes a heavy price tag.

It’s good for publicity but not good for a supposed entry level motorsport formula. The recent years have seen too many classes, therefore everyone has been divided and generally made all grids smaller rather than have a simple cadet/junior/senior category all over the world. I understand that all manufacturers want a slice of the cake but it makes what should be a simple sport very complicated.

I often look at a new family’s point of view, to come into this sport it’s just very messy with what they should race or shouldn’t race etc. And it’s the same throughout every rank, and obviously depending on who you speak to as to what direction they believe in. IAME has done a very good job in creating a level playing field with the X30 classes and you can see that by the volume of people who are competing at the events. At the ‘OK’ level I think things have spiralled out of control, it needs some sort of price cap as it’s all just too expensive and not value for money for the customer. I think that the driver can learn more and its harder to win a race on a level playing field such as the X30 classes. From a karting perspective simplifying the sport would be better for all concerned.

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Name: Ethan Tan Birthday: 29 October 2001 Lives in: Singapore Team: Fusion Motorsport

Aim for the season?

To go into the A final and top 15 will be a bonus Racing idol?

Jenson Button Greatest sporting highlight?

Winning the first two races of X30 Singapore What do you do when you’re not racing?

Play video games and exercise Favourite food?

Chicken Rice (Singapore dish)

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Do you compete in other sports?

No If you described your character on a race track in 3 words what would they be?

Fast, thinking and focused How would you make karting better?

I would make karting better by allowing drivers to have water bottles connected to their helmets like in cars

GET TO KNOW THE DRIVERS

Name: Louie Westover Birthday: 06 August 2002 Lives in: Colchester, UK Team: Fusion Motorsport

Aim for the season?

Finish as well as possible and get as much experience as possible with hopefully a few wins along the way Racing idol?

Ayrton Senna... of course!

Greatest sporting highlight?

Watching the British Grand Prix What do you do when you’re not racing?

Prepare for the next race Favourite food?

Italian

Do you compete in other sports?

Football and rounders If you described your character on a race track in 3 words what would they be?

Determined, calculating and stealthy How would you make karting better?

I think in the UK there needs to be fewer classes and a clearer path for new people entering the sport. At the moment there are so many paths and a lot of conflicting advice out there

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HISTORY OF IAME IAME is a world leader in kart engine manufacturing, both for professional and hobby drivers. The 28 world titles confirm it. Nowadays the company produces five to six thousand engines per year, with a potential productive capability of nine thousand units. 55 employees, more than 30 engine variations and almost 50 years of experience and knowledge in the market. In 1958 the first go-kart was built in the USA. Bruno Grana in those years was working for Moto Parilla and when he saw the go-kart, he fell in love, immediately understanding its potential. In 1959 Grana convinced Parilla to join this new market and enter the history of karting. Some years later, together with his colleague and friend Cesare Bossaglia, he established Komet, a company expressly dedicated to the karting world. 1968 was the decisive year. Parilla and Komet joined together into IAME, „Italian American Motor Engineering“ which name comes from the close relation with the United States. With the acquisition of the brands BM and Sirio, Bruno Grana put the basis of what is still today the asset of a worldwide known company.

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BRUNO GRANA Bruno Grana is the founder of IAME and historic CEO and President. He was one of the very first people to be interested in karting. In the early 60’s, while working at Moto Parilla, he saw a new product having success in the USA and immediately understood its potential: the go-kart. He then convinced Giovanni Parilla to join the market and produced the very first specific karting engines, dedicated in the beginning to North American market and later to a worldwide distribution. This adventure lead him to establish Komet and right after to acquire the Parilla trademark. Joining the two brands in 1968, it gave life to what is still today considered to be a worldwide leader in karting engine manufacturing – IAME. Bruno Grana honourably lead IAME until 2005.

THE ENGINES The first engines in the late 60’s for the karting market were characterized by the rotary valve admission system and forced air cooling system with a fan directly mounted on the crankshaft. In the 70’s and 80’s the evolution concerns the introduction of the free air cooling system and in the sequent decade of life gave the engines dedicated to international racing categories. In the early 90’s, the reed valve admission system was introduced and with the turning of the new century the water cooled engines were brought to the market, together with digital timing systems with variable timing curve and rpm limiter.

TECHNOLOGY The experience gained over more than 50 years of manufacturing and is wisely managed by the most advanced and latest generation of machinery. Every unit is composed on sophisticated computers, using state of the art software. Technical unit, research and development, quality control, production, race department and logistics are in constant interaction, together with the most qualified technicians create the IAME products. Material including, inertial test benches, CNC lathes, endoscopies, durometers, microscopes up to 1000 magnifications, give life to the IAME engines – maintaining the Italy quality the world is use to.

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DRIVERS Out of the drivers who made history in motorsport, most have started with karting and many have chosen IAME racing engines. Among them there are not only those drivers who have become F1 stars as Fernando Alonso, but also those who have chosen and achieved greatness in the history of karting, as Mike Wilson. These are only a few among the many, who have contributed to help IAME gain the 27 world titles: Fernando Alonso Kimi Raikkonen Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Jarno Trulli Alain Prost Riccardo Patrese Mike Wilson Giorgio Pantano Terry Fullerton Jan Magnussen

MISSION Since the birth of the company, the imprint which Bruno Grana, the historical founder wanted to give to IAME’s DNA was the production of high quality, long lifetime, affordable and manageable engines. This philosophy is today the key focus of IAME, and will remain to be for years to come.

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N O I T A M

R O

F N I

ON TRACK INTRANET LIVE TIMING (NO 3G OR 4G REQUIRED)

1. Step Connect to live timing WIFI network.

4. Step Open Safari or web browser and type in www.rgmmc.com, it will automatically redirect you to the live timing app.

2. Step Apple devices may require you to deactivate auto-login.

3. Step Deactivate auto-login on Apple devices.

For internet live timing Open the event website and click on the live timing link. OR In your web browser fill in the URL: http://www.apex-timing.com/live-timing/rgmmc/index.html Watch live TV at www.telemundi.com

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